• SLPP insists on appointing two of its members to chair them
• Basil is reportedly seeking these posts for two of his party’s nominees

By Kelum Bandara   

The government and the opposition are embroiled in a conflict to secure chairmanships of the two vital parliamentary watchdog committees - the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), Daily Mirror learns. 

  Initially, there was agreement to appoint two from the opposition to head these committees which oversee the financial activities of the state institutions including government departments.  

However, Daily Mirror learns that the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) insists on appointing two of its members to chair them.  

SLPP National Organizer Basil Rajapaksa is reportedly seeking these posts for two of his party’s nominees. He argues that these committees had been headed by the members of the ruling party in the recent parliamentary history.   Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella also raised this matter in Parliament on Wednesday.